Translation guide
Describes actions, behaviors, or states that are done regularly or are characteristic of a person. Japanese often uses adverbs, verb forms, or specific constructions rather than a single adjective.
To say that someone does something regularly or as a habit.
Expresses a personal rule or conscious habit. The speaker has decided to do something regularly.
I make it a habit to jog every morning.
Indicates an effort to make something a habit, often for health or improvement.
I try to eat vegetables every day.
Noun meaning 'habit' or 'custom'. Used to describe habitual actions.
He has a habit of reading a book before bed.
Adverb meaning 'always' or 'usually'. Simple way to express habitual actions.
I always drink coffee in the morning.
To describe a persistent state or a characteristic behavior of someone.
Adjective meaning 'habitual' or 'chronic', often used for negative behaviors like lying or gambling.
He is a habitual liar.
Means 'chronic', used for persistent conditions or problems.
Indicates someone is always doing something, often with a negative nuance of doing nothing else.
He is always complaining.
To express that something used to happen regularly in the past.
Used to reminisce about past habits or frequent occurrences.
When I was a child, I used to play in the river often.
Using 'yoku' with past tense verbs indicates a past habitual action.
I often pulled all-nighters when I was a student.
The English adjective 'habitual' is often translated as 習慣的な (しゅうかんてきな), but this sounds unnatural in many contexts. Use the patterns and words above for more natural Japanese.
I suffer from habitual lack of sleep.